23-03-24 - Bizarre night for USKA Duo on TMA Fight Series Super Saturday event!

We were privileged to have two USKA Fighters featuring in International title fights on the TMA Fight Series promoted TMA Super Saturday Fight Gala at the Bescott Stadium in Walsall this evening both in really tough fights.
In a climate where there are many title fights featuring unworthy challengers, or for the home fighters receiving 'gimies' the USKA team prides itself in taking challenging fights that the results are not a forgone conclusion and this was certainly the case tonight.  

Amongst a great fight card on the night the busiest man in Full Contact Kickboxing right now Shakeel 'Showtime' Hussain was making a defence of his WRSA Lightweight World Title  against experienced, tough and heralded Greek Champion Charalampos Korkis and rising USKA prospect Ateeq Al Rehman would be stepping up in class against Ireland's Oisin Lee to contest the 67kg WRSA Celtic Title in a 50/50 clash.

First up for USKA on the night we had Ateeq Al Rehman take a short notice title opportunity challenging for the WRSA -67kg Celtic K-1 Title against Oisin Lee from the Mugendo Kickboxing gym in Sligo Ireland.
It was a tough fight on paper for Ateeq with Lee being the more experienced of the two and enjoying a massive height and reach advantage but always up for a challenge and never wanting an easy touch it was a fight that Ateeq and his team were up for.

The bout started and it was evident from the first bell that Oisin had great shape and knew how to use his reach and range well.
He was keeping Ateeq at range using effective teeps to the body then firing over the top with accurate and effective straight right hands.
In the second round Ateeq got caught flush with a right cross that stiffened his legs and had the referee jump in to administer a count. The fight continued and Oisin once again pressed the attack with a great boxing combination that again had Ateeq in trouble costing him another count.
In the third round with Ateeq still buzzed Oisin jumped on him with strong boxing combinations that forced the referee Harvey Harrah to administer two more standing eight counts which ended the contest by third round stoppage in favour of the Irish man.
No excuses, you win some, you lose some and unfortunately for Ateeq he wasn't at the races tonight and now needs to go back to the drawing board to make the necessary adjustments to prevent this happening again. 
 
Next up for USKA we had three times World Champion Shakeel 'Showtime' Hussain make a defence of one of his World Titles against Mpampis Korkis from Greece.
Korkis, a very experienced operator held titles at every level and was confident of taking the final step up to World Champion and in confident fashion was even predicting a 1st round Knockout.
Shakeel fresh off his AFSO World Title win only 20 days ago wasted no time in lining up his next fight this time defending his WRSA title which is refreshing as it is a rarity with fighters these days making defences of the titles they have won.   

The fight started and from the sound of the first bell it was clear that Korkis had one thing on his mind, seek and destroy and get the KO.
Shak's movement and speed was picking him up the points in the first two rounds but he was not comfortable with the Greek fighters pressure and sometimes dirty tactics of using the head trying to make it into a dog fight.
In the third round emotions were high with Korkis throwing Shak to the floor landing on top of him with his knee. A head clash also opened up a cut over Shak's right eye to add to his troubles and the sense was that Korkis was trying to get him to lose his cool and to get careless trading with him.
It was more pressure throughout the forth and fifth from Korkis but at this point he had stopped kicking with him being so intent of looking for that big KO punch which would have been costing him on the score cards.
This is where it all got a little crazy...
Mid way through the fifth round Korkis while in a clench bit Shak on the arm, the USKA fighter signaled to the referee what had happened but the referee had not seen it and waved the fight to continue. Feeling aggravated and frustrated and in the heat of the moment Shakeel (in not his finest moment) responded in the next clinch by returning the favour by biting his opponent back which seen the referee intervene.
Chaos broke out in the ring with both sides highly aggrieved with the other.
After consultation with officials at ringside both fighters were disqualified but it was announced that Shakeel would keep hold of his belt.  

An unsatisfactory end to a fight that Shak was on his way to winning on the score cards with lessons to be learned for all involved. 

Watch the fight, the chaos and the controversy here!

So, not a great night for USKA but a great night of Fight action delivered by Gavin Burrows and the TMA Fight Series team and one where the fight fans truly witnessed some amazing and sometimes bizarre contests.
Thank you as always to Gavin for affording our fighters the stage to showcase their talents and to the WRSA for the title opportunities.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone that came out to support the lads tonight, without you guys we simply would not receive the opportunities we do, your support is appreciated more than you know.

We win, we lose, We live we learn, On to the next one!